Sinn Féin leader to address major regional dairy farmer meeting

SINN Féin will set out its stall as to what dairy farmers can expect from any future government involving the party, when its leader addresses ICMSA members in Limerick next week. 

On December 5 at the Castletroy Park Hotel in Limerick, Deputy Mary Lou McDonald will become the first Sinn Féin leader to address a major farmer meeting and ICMSA officials say that her take on the future of Ireland’s biggest indigenous economic activity will be eagerly anticipated.

The Agriculture Minister, Charlie McConalogue will be in attendance too to address farmers’ concerns over forthcoming regulatory changes for the sector. 

Farmers, including the many from Clare who are likely to travel to the event, will also hear from Assistant Garda Commissioner, Paula Hillman. She will address the increasingly fraught issue of gangs of trespassing ‘hunters’ intimidating, threatening and even assaulting farmers in their own yards or fields.

ICMSA has been to the forefront in demanding a much more effective and practical approach to this problem and officials predict some “straight-talking” on this issue.

Mindful of the enormous changes both underway and to come in Irish farming, the association has assembled a stellar line-up of speakers who will address the gathering as well as field questions from the floor in the solution-seeking tradition of the farm organisation.

Following Statement of Accounts and Resolutions beginning at 12.30pm, Deputy McDonald will outline what Sinn Féin’s vision for Irish agriculture. Seamus Greene of Ornua will give a dairy outlook for 2023, Joe Burke of Bord Bia will look at the prospects for food exports and Liam Woulfe of Grassland Agro will look at the controversial area of soaring fertiliser prices.

The meeting will end with Minister McConalogue and ICMSA President Pat McCormack addressing the audience on the raft of new regulations and rules being introduced to Irish farming – some of which pertaining to nitrates. Mr McCormack has described some of these as “disastrous and disabling of the dairy sector in which we are world leaders”.

Breaks will be held through the event with dinner served at the conclusion of the event at 7pm. Members are requested to confirm attendance by phone on 061-314677.